5500 Audit for merged plan

[dmb]

Two plans with over 100 participants each merge as of 1/1/02. The assets are merged 3/1/02. There are currently 180 participants in the merged plan. Is there any way that this plan would not be subject to the 5500 Audit?? Thanks.

[E as in ERISA]

In fact you might have two audits: Assuming calendar year plans, you might have a one day (January 1) audit for the plan that is going away and another full year audit for the plan that continues in existence based on the fact that each has over 100 participants at the beginning of the plan year. The transfer of the assets is not necessarily relevant (unless they failed to properly amend the plans and trust and the trustee of the plan that continued in existence did not have authority over those assets as of January 1).